SPONSORED BY2CONTENTMARKETING2017 Benchmarks, Budgets, and TrendsNorth AmericaWelcomeThis Years B2B Content Marketing Top Performers At-A-GlanceSECTION 1: Usage & Team OrganizationSECTION 2: Clarity, Commitment & Overall SuccessSECTION 3: Content Marketing StrategySECTION 4: Content Creation & DistributionSECTION 5: Goals & Metrics SECTION 6: Budgets & SpendingMethodology/DemographicsAboutTABLE OF CONTENTSSPONSORED BY345101924414445352WELCOMEGreetings Marketers,Welcome to the 7th Annual B2B Content Marketing Benchmarks, Budgets, and TrendsNorth America report. Weve made quite a few changes to our annual survey this year to reflect the maturing content marketing industry.This years research paints a brighter picture than the last few years, indicating that content marketing is alive and well! Content marketers are on trackwith 62% reporting that their organizations are much more or somewhat more successful with their overall content marketing approach compared with one year ago.Like last year, those who are further along with their approach are the most successful, while the vast majority of the least successful are in the young/early phases of content marketing. With time, a documented strategy, creativity, meaningful goals and metrics, a willingness to experiment, and perhaps most importantly, a commitment to content marketing, those marketers will succeed.Please watch for continuing editorial coverage of our research findings throughout 2017. We hope you will find the insights useful as you prepare for the year ahead.Yours in content,Joe & AnnJoe PulizziFounderContent Marketing InstituteAnn HandleyChief Content OfficerMarketingProfs3SPONSORED BY4COMPARISON CHARTMost Successful All Respondents Least SuccessfulOrganization is clear on what an effective or successful content marketing program looks like81% 41% 14%Organization is extremely/very committed to content marketing 91% 63% 35%Describes organizations content marketing maturity as sophisticated/mature 72% 28% 2%Has a documented content marketing strategy 61% 37% 13%Content marketing strategy is extremely/very effective 83% 34% 2%Measures content marketing ROI 88% 72% 56%Percentage of total marketing budget allocated to content marketing (average) 39% 29% 22%Agrees that organization is realistic about what content marketing can achieve 91% 68% 41%Agrees that organization is able to quickly adjust content marketing strategy 87% 66% 41%Always/frequently delivers content consistently 85% 58% 32%Agrees that leadership gives ample time to produce results 77% 52% 26%This Years B2B Content Marketing Top Performers At-A-Glance 2017 B2B Content Marketing TrendsNorth America: Content Marketing Institute/MarketingProfsChart term definitions: A top performer (aka, “most successful”) is one who characterizes his or her organizations overall content marketing approach as extremely or very successful. The “least successful” characterize their organizations approach as minimally or not at all successful.SPONSORED BY5USAGE & TEAM ORGANIZATION28% 55% 42% Are in the sophisticated/mature phase of content marketing maturityHave small content marketing teams serving the entire organizationHave experienced management changes that have had a positive impact on the organizations content marketingSPONSORED BYCONTENT MARKETING6USAGE & TEAM ORGANIZATION2017 B2B Content Marketing TrendsNorth America: Content Marketing Institute/MarketingProfsDoes your organization use content marketing?Content marketing is defined as “a strategic marketing approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly defined audienceand, ultimately, to drive profitable customer action.” Note: Of the 11% nonusers, 52% say they plan to launch a content marketing effort within 12 months; 43% had no immediate plans to begin using content marketing; and 5% had used content marketing in the past but stopped.Base = B2B marketers.89%Yes11%NoPercentage of B2B Marketers Using Content MarketingSPONSORED BY7USAGE & TEAM ORGANIZATION2017 B2B Content Marketing TrendsNorth America: Content Marketing Institute/MarketingProfsHow would you describe your organizations content marketing maturity level?How B2B Marketers Assess Their Organizations Content Marketing Maturity LevelSOPHISTICATED MATURE ADOLESCENT YOUNG FIRST STEPS6% 22% 35% 26% 10%Providing accurate measurement to the business, scaling across the organizationFinding success, yet challenged with integration across the organizationHave developed a business case, seeing early success, becoming more sophisticated with measurement and scalingGrowing pains, challenged with creating a cohesive strategy and a measurement planDoing some aspects of content, but have not yet begun to make content marketing a processBase = Content marketers; aided list.SPONSORED BY8USAGE & TEAM ORGANIZATION2017 B2B Content Marketing TrendsNorth America: Content Marketing Institute/MarketingProfsHow is content marketing structured within your organization?B2B Content Marketing Organizational Structure24%5%13%55%2%Centralized content marketing group that works with multiple brands/product lines throughout the organizationEach brand (product line/property) has its own content marketing teamBoth: A centralized group as well as individual teams throughout the organizationSmall (or one-person) marketing/content marketing teamserves the entire organizationOtherBase = Content marketers; aided list.SPONSORED BY9USAGE & TEAM ORGANIZATION2017 B2B Content Marketing TrendsNorth America: Content Marketing Institute/MarketingProfsHas your organization undergone any management and/or structural changes over the last 12 months that have impacted your content marketing approach?Base = Content marketers; aided list.48%9%42%B2B Management Changes Impacting Content MarketingYes, had a positive impactYes, had a negative impactNo changesSPONSORED BY10CLARITY, COMMITMENT & OVERALL SUCCESS63% 22% 62% Are extremely or very committed to content marketingAre extremely or very successful with their overall approach to content marketingAre much more or somewhat more successful with content marketing than they were one year agoSPONSORED BYCONTENT MARKETING11CLARITY, COMMITMENT & OVERALL SUCCESS2017 B2B Content Marketing TrendsNorth America: Content Marketing Institute/MarketingProfsIn your organization, is it clear what an effective or successful content marketing program looks like? Base = Content marketers; aided list.29%30%41%Percentage of B2B Marketers Whose OrganizationsHave Clarity on Content Marketing SuccessYesNoUnsureSPONSORED BY12CLARITY, COMMITMENT & OVERALL SUCCESS2017 B2B Content Marketing TrendsNorth America: Content Marketing Institute/MarketingProfsHow would you describe your organizations commitment level to content marketing?Base = Content marketers; aided list.30%6%1%41%22%B2B Organizations Commitment to Content MarketingExtremelyCommittedVery CommittedSomewhat CommittedNot Very CommittedNot At All CommittedSPONSORED BY132017 B2B Content Marketing TrendsNorth America: Content Marketing Institute/MarketingProfsCLARITY, COMMITMENT & OVERALL SUCCESSHow would you characterize the success of your organizations current overall content marketing approach?Base = Content marketers; aided list.Note: The survey defined success as achieving your organizations desired/targeted results. This report defines the Top 2 respondents (extremely/very) as “most successful” or “top performers,” and the Bottom 2 (minimally/not at all) as “least successful.”53%22%3%19%3%How B2B Marketers Rate the Success of Their Organizations Overall Content Marketing ApproachExtremelySuccessfulVery SuccessfulModeratelySuccessfulMinimallySuccessfulNot At All SuccessfulSPONSORED BY142017 B2B Content Marketing TrendsNorth America: Content Marketing Institute/MarketingProfsCLARITY, COMMITMENT & OVERALL SUCCESSHow does the success of your organizations current overall content marketing approach compare with one year ago?Base = Content marketers; aided list.How B2B Marketers Rate Their OrganizationsContent Marketing Success ComparedWith One Year Ago17%45%28%2%1%7%Much More SuccessfulSomewhatMore SuccessfulAbout the Same asOne Year AgoSomewhatLessSuccessfulMuch LessSuccessfulDoes Not Apply(program less thanone year old)SPONSORED BY152017 B2B Content Marketing TrendsNorth America: Content Marketing Institute/MarketingProfsCLARITY, COMMITMENT & OVERALL SUCCESSTo what factors do you attribute your organizations increase in overall success?Base = Content marketers who said their organizations content marketing success is much/somewhat more successful than one year ago. Aided list; multiple responses permitted.Other reasons cited: Content Marketing Technologies/Tools (28%), More Budget for Content Marketing (25%), Content Marketing Training/Education (23%), We Have Given Our Efforts Time to Bear Fruit and Are Now Getting Results (21%), Assistance of Outside Expertise (10%), Changes in Target Audience (7%), and Other (3%).Factors Contributing to B2B Marketers Increased Success Over the Last Year85%72%53%50%Content Creation (higherquality, more ef_f_icient)Strategy (developmentor adjustment)Content Marketing HasBecome a Greater PrioritySpending More Time onContent MarketingContent Distribution (bettertargeting, identif_icationof what works)Management/HR (organizationalchanges, staf_f_ing, new contentmarketing roles)Content Measurement(growing in ability toshow results)53%43%42%SPONSORED BY162017 B2B Content Marketing TrendsNorth America: Content Marketing Institute/MarketingProfsCLARITY, COMMITMENT & OVERALL SUCCESSTo what factors do you attribute your organizations stagnancy in success with content marketing?Base = Content marketers who said their organizations content marketing success is about the same as one year ago. Aided list; multiple responses permitted.Other reasons cited: Content Marketing Technologies/Tools lack of, or new systems that require a learning curve (24%), Lack of Content Marketing Training/Education (22%), Lack of Adequate or Effective Content Distribution (20%), Program Hasnt Had Enough Time to Bear Fruit/Produce Results (14%), Changes in Target Audience (5%), and Other (7%).Factors Contributing to B2B Marketers Stagnant Success Over the Last Year52%Not Enough Time Devotedto Content MarketingContent-CreationChallengesStrategy Issues (lack of strategy,developing/adjusting strategy)Management/HR(organizational changes,staf_f_ing issues)Content Marketing BudgetIssues (inadequate budget,budget cuts)Content Marketing NotPrioritized Highly EnoughContent MeasurementChallenges49%49%38%37%34%32%SPONSORED BY172017 B2B Content Marketing TrendsNorth America: Content Marketing Institute/MarketingProfsCLARITY, COMMITMENT & OVERALL SUCCESSTo what factors do you attribute your organizations decrease in success with content marketing?Base = Content marketers who said their organizations content marketing success is somewhat/much less successful than one year ago. Aided list; multiple responses permitted.Other reasons cited: Changes in Target Audience (20%), Lack of Adequate or Effective Content Distribution (20%), Lack of Content Marketing Training/Education (20%), Content Measurement Challenges (13%), Content Marketing Technologies/Tools lack of, or new systems that require a learning curve (10%), Program Hasnt Had Enough Time to Bear Fruit/Produce Results (10%), and Other (23%).Factors Contributing to B2B Marketers Decreased Success Over the Last Year57%Not Enough Time Devotedto Content MarketingContent-CreationChallengesStrategy Issues (lack of strategy,developing/adjusting strategy)Management/HR(organizational changes,staf_f_ing issues)Content Marketing BudgetIssues (inadequate budget,budget cuts)Content Marketing NotPrioritized Highly Enough47%43%40%33%27%SPONSORED BY18CLARITY, COMMITMENT & OVERALL SUCCESS2017 B2B Content Marketing TrendsNorth America: Content Marketing Institute/MarketingProfsIndicate your level of agreement with the following statements concerning content marketing in your organization.Base = Content marketers; aided list.Base = Content marketers; aided list.B2B Marketers Opinions About Content Marketing88% 8% 4%78% 13% 9%74% 14% 12%72% 13% 15%68% 17% 15%68% 18% 14%66% 18% 16%52% 24% 24%Content marketing is an important componentof our organizations marketing programOur organization is focused on providing anoverall exceptional experience for our audienceOur organization is focused more on building long-term relationships than on getting quick (campaign-like) results from our content marketingOur organization values creativity and craft in content creation and productionOur organization is focused on building audiences (building one or more subscriber bases)Our organization has realistic expectationsabout what content marketing can achieveWe are able to respond quickly when necessaryto adjust our content marketing strategyOur leadership team gives us ample time toproduce content marketing results Agree Neither Agree Nor Disagree Disagree SPONSORED BY19CONTENT MARKETING STRATEGY37% Have a documented content marketing strategy73% 34% Say their strategy includes a plan to operate content marketing as an ongoing business process, not simply a campaignSay their strategy is extremely or very effective at helping their organization achieve its current content marketing goalsSPONSORED BY20CONTENT MARKETING STRATEGY2017 B2B Content Marketing TrendsNorth America: Content Marketing Institute/MarketingProfsDoes your organization have a content marketing strategy?Base = Content marketers; aided list.41%4%37%17%Percentage of B2B Marketers Who Have a Content Marketing StrategyYes, and it is documentedNo, with no plans to have one within 12 monthsYes, but it is not documentedNo, but plan to have one within 12 monthsSPONSORED BY21CONTENT MARKETING STRATEGY2017 B2B Content Marketing TrendsNorth America: Content Marketing Institute/MarketingProfsWhich of the following elements are included in your content marketing strategy?Base = Content marketers who have a content marketing strategy. Aided list; multiple responses permitted.Elements B2B Marketers Include in Their Content Marketing Strategy73%A plan to operate content marketingas an ongoing business process,not simply a campaignContent mission and a dif_ferentiatedstory/value to deliverDeep understanding ofaudience personasA process to align with other sales/marketing/loyalty initiativesWell-def_ined business goals for contentA measurement plan to provide bothinsight and progress toward the business goalsThe ability to scale over time (i.e., to growalong with your organization)Other elementsUnsure59%57%55%54%51%35%18%3%SPONSORED BY22CONTENT MARKETING STRATEGY2017 B2B Content Marketing TrendsNorth America: Content Marketing Institute/Market